A limited run of a five year commemorative book was produced by the Fallen 4 Marathon committee. Copies were presented to the Whitecourt and Mayerthorpe detachments, the Fallen Four memorial, the town of Whitecourt and Woodlands County.
Celia Ste Croix | Whitecourt Star

The Fallen 4 Marathon Committee created a commemorative book to look back on the past five years of the marathon. Copies of the limited run were given as gifts to committee members and those involved in the organization of the event.

Tina Prodaniuk, Whitecourt crime prevention co-ordinator, said copies were also given to the town of Whitecourt, Woodlands County and the Whitecourt detachment.

“And we gave one to the fallen four memorial. They will have one on show there. And the Allan & Jean Millar Centre.”

Prodaniuk said the 28 copies were printed in two sizes and put together by Case+Point:Media.

“With of course hours and hours and hours of looking through our favourite pictures and we have so many. And between her and I, getting the stats and the people who have won the event over the years and how much money we raised. All that stuff is in there.”

The Fallen 4 Marathon began in commemoration of four local mounites who were killed in the line of duty. RCMP constables Peter Schiemann, Anthony Gordon, Lionide Johnston, and Brock Myrol were shot dead by James Roszko while conducting a search of his the property on March 3, 2005, near Mayerthorpe. This is said to be the worst single-day loss of life for the RCMP in 100 years.

“We always try to keep it with the memory of and in honour of those fallen members. I think we still have plenty of members that are Calgary police, Edmonton police or RCMP who come out. They run the same highway everyone else does and I think it shows that they support their comrades.”

Prodaniuk said the book was put together to show what has been accomplished.

“Until you actually look at it in a book you think ‘well I know we have an event every year’ but I think it is important to look back too to see where we started. We thought we would just get 100 people to run on that highway, we were pretty excited about that and now it’s a yearly thing. But remember where we were. Every year we get a thousand people to run on that highway so it’s pretty cool.”

Prodaniuk also said that if people would like a copy of the book they can contact her at the Whitecourt RCMP detachment Monday through Wednesday.

Registration for the 2014 marathon opened December 1. Prodaniuk said when people register early it helps the committee plan preparations and early registration receives a reduced rate.

“I think we are pretty fortunate in Whitecourt to have an event in our community because many places you have to fly to or drive to and we have one in our back yard that I am very proud of. Hopefully they just keep supporting us.”